Hambley: Dead chickens from out-of-county not source of bird flu cases in Ottawa County

OTTAWA COUNTY — A bird flu outbreak at an Ottawa County dairy farm wasn't caused by the out-of-county disposal of dead birds at a local landfill, according to Administrative Health Officer Adeline Hambley.

Hambley provided an update on the recent highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak— commonly referred to as bird flu — to the health and human services committee of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, June 18.

Hambley said, due to a large culling of chickens at a poultry farm in West Michigan — Herbruck’s in Ionia County — there were too many dead birds to dispose of by composting, which is the state’s preferred method. Excess birds were brought to an Ottawa County landfill.

More: Millions of chickens killed, hundreds of employees laid off as bird flu sweeps Herbruck's

During the disposal of the birds, which took between five and seven days, Hambley said, bird flu was discovered at a dairy farm in the county. There were concerns the dead birds were the source of the infection, but testing has shown that's not the case.

“(It) did not cause the cattle to become positive for influenza,” Hambley said. “They are able to genetically test the viruses and they are not the same strains.”

Commissioner Allison Miedema requested Hambley share that information with the full board and affected farmers, saying the state has not done so. Miedema also said one farm has “lost two years worth of wages” due to animals not being viable and a drop in milk production.

Miedema and Commissioner Joe Moss asked Hambley if there’s a way to prevent more out-of-county birds from being disposed of in the county. Hambley said it’s her understanding the state has already decided any further birds that need to be taken to a landfill for disposal will not be brought here.

“There were some concerns raised by the Michigan Poultry Association … because we have such a large number of poultry farms in Ottawa County,” Hambley said.

Three farms in Ottawa County have seen animals test positive for HPIA, according to the state’s website. They include a dairy farm on April 12, a poultry farm on April 23, and a second dairy farm on May 30.

Hambley also shared the discovery of a lone star tick — which is not native to Michigan — in Ottawa County.

A family brought the tick into the health department after finding it crawling on their child. The tick was not attached and had not bitten the child. Hambley said the tick was tested and confirmed by the state to be a lone star tick, typically found in the southern and eastern portions of the United States.

“It’s not been, typically, a tick that we find in Michigan,” Hambley said. “It’s concerning that we have that.”

The tick was in the West Olive area near Kirk Park, she said. The health department is currently doing tick drags as part of tick and mosquito surveillance, including increased surveillance near Kirk Park.

Lone star tick bites are associated with alpha-gal syndrome, which can cause a red meat allergy in some.

Both committees that met Tuesday had a new member.

Former commissioner Lucy Ebel, who was defeated in a recall election in May, served on both the health and human services and talent and recruitment committees. On Tuesday, replacements for Ebel took seats at the board table.

Miedema now serves on the health and human services committee, along with committee chair Sylvia Rhodea, Moss, Gretchen Cosby and Doug Zylstra.

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Commissioner Rebekah Curran took Ebel’s place on the talent and recruitment committee. Other members are Miedema, as chair, Cosby, Kendra Wenzel and Jacob Bonnema.

The talent and recruitment committee’s only agenda item Tuesday was to appoint a new member of the interview subcommittee, on which Ebel served. Curran was unanimously voted to the group, which also includes Miedema and Cosby.

Commissioner Chris Kleinjans, who defeated Ebel in the recall election and was sworn in May 28, has yet to appear at a committee meeting.

Moss said on June 11 that Kleinjans will serve on the planning and policy committee and strategic planning committee.

The planning and policy committee is next scheduled to meet July 2. The strategic planning committee has not met since January amid the change in county administrator.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hambley: Dead chickens from out-of-county not source of bird flu in Ottawa